Campania's 120-year-old vines

Look out for a plethora of tasting notes on Italy's recent fine vintages next week – JR

It is not every day that one stumbles upon 120-year-old vines, and although Australia has its fair share of centenarian vineyards, mainly in areas unaffected by phylloxera (South Australia and Henschke's Hill of Grace spring to mind), in Europe they tend to be extremely rare. Part of the explanation is that old vines produce fewer grapes, and can become so uneconomical that the plants are uprooted and replaced by Europe's economical growers. But often the lifespan of many vines is also unnecessarily shortened...